A Family's Strength
by Venus Hoshi
Summary: When Grell realizes that he loves Madame Red, shouldn't everything go perfectly? Of course not. Everyone gets dragged in and there might not be a happy ending this time.


Note: This story is an adaptation of an RP. I am sorry if it is choppy. There is LOADS of RP left to be transferred into story so we should get better at editing later. Please stick with us! :3 **WARNING: May be OOC because this is our interpretation of Grell and Madame Red's relationship so no hate!**

A Family's Strength is a collab with zgirl16

Madame Red yawned, sitting quietly beside the window; the sunlight was streaming in and around her figure. It was just another boring day at the Phantomhive manor. Madame Red and her incompetent butler, Grell, were spending the day in a sitting room, awaiting a moment with the young Earl that didn't seem likely. Grell smiles awkwardly "Oh, Madame Red. Don't you have a meeting?" The bumbling butler says, playing with his brown hair. The brunette strands shone as they caught the light every now and then.  
Madame Red looked to the butler, a slight smile on her face. Her eyes seemed to sparkle at the sight of him. "Grell, dear. I am quite aware of it; I just don't wish to attend."  
Grell fidgets in his spot, uncomfortable about just letting her skip. "But-But... What kind of butler just lets their master miss important things like a meeting!?" He fumbles, trying to get her to leave.  
Madame Red got to her feet, smiling even more at Grell's stuttering. "Then lead the way."  
The brunette starts to lead Madame Red out of the room but trips on the carpet, landing on his face. "I'm so sorry Madame... I should just take my life right here!" He pulls a knife out of his sleeve and dramatically makes stabbing motions in the air.  
Madame Red sighs, ripping the knife away from him. "Ugh! I prefer your true form. Actually, I prefer it when you're homicidal, not suicidal." She said, resting her hand on his shoulder in a near comforting gesture.  
Grell smirks then puts up the stupid butler act once again. "Oh Madame."  
Madame Red smiled, her white teeth flashing in the sun's gleam. "That's better. When we're alone, there is no reason to act. Besides, your blood red hair suits you better."  
Grell's hair morphs into his natural crimson, the bloody red strands shining. "Oh, my, my Madame." He grabs Madame Red by the waist and pulls her close to him. "You know I love the color of blood." He smirks playfully.  
Madame Red smirked as well. She rested her head against his shoulder. "The blood red Reaper..."  
He smiles and puts one finger under her chin, tilting her face up to him. He leans and whispers in her ear, his eyes half lidded. "Only for you, my dear."  
Madame Red smiled, lovingly the feeling of his lips on her ear. They were soft, like the inside of a rose. "I'll bathe anyone in blood for you..."  
Grell's eyebrow rises. "Anyone?" He purrs.  
Madame Red smiled. "Anyone..." she whispers.  
Grell pulls the lady clad in red closer to him, holding her body close. "What about the brat?" His hands rest in the small of her back, something he does often when they are alone together.  
Madame Red remained quiet for a few seconds, seeming to think about her answer, questioning the fact if she really would kill her own nephew. "Even him..." She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling the softness of his long red hair.  
A malicious smile creeps on his face. _'I might just have to test that' _He thinks to himself.  
"So what is our next move Madame? Shall we choose another victim?"  
Madame Red smiled, and gave his neck a little squeeze in her embrace. "Yes, I believe we should. I did happen to have another patient a couple of days ago..."  
"Oh? When do you want to..._paint her crimson_?" He brings a hand up to caress Madame Red's cheek, a gesture that made her heart flutter.  
Madame Red smiled, leaning in closer so that their noses were touching. "How about tonight?"  
He pulls away, nonchalantly throwing his hair over his shoulder. "I'll have to check my schedule." He says, turning her down jokingly and giving her a wink.  
Madame Red laughs at the comment, loving his lighthearted attitude, though she knows it won't last. It never did when she was around; after all, she always did something to ruin it. "Of course you have to check it! You _are_ a busy Reaper."  
"Oh, William won't miss me for onnneeee night~!" He shakes his hips slightly, thinking of his supervisor.  
Madame Red's laugh grew at the flamboyant display. She loved his flamboyant side. She loved everything about her crimson Reaper. "But I would miss you..." she whispered.  
Grell sighs quietly_. 'What a bloody pain.'_  
"I am very busy, you know." He reveals, rather annoyed.  
Madame Red sighs, examining her nails. She took note of how they shined in the sunlight that was streaming in through the window. "I could always hang around my 'beloved' nephew. We need to keep him thinking that I'm good."  
He moves back to her, grabbing her hips and pulling her to him. "That actually might be a good idea. Make the brat think nothing's up." He wags his eyebrows and kisses her cheek.  
Madame Red smiled a more or less ill intended grin. _'I could paint his supervisor crimson.'_ she thought, loving the evil intention behind it.  
"He is somewhat naïve... I almost wish that there would be a challenge in killing him." She sighed, almost upset at the thought of the easy task. She did love her nephew and she didn't want to see him suffer, but she would do anything for her beloved Grell. Even if it meant her nephew, her sister's son, had to suffer…  
_'She is too weak to even come close to killing the brat. Plus she would have to make it through Bassy, and everyone knows that won't happen.'_ He smiles and runs a hand through her shoulder length hair. Her hair shone in the sunlight, the blood red strands a few shades darker than his.  
Madame Red sighed, leaning back against him. She played with her fingers, thinking as she did so. "But that butler of his... He can't possibly be human, can he?"

Grell leans in and buries his face in her hair. The soft strands hide his expression, keeping her from seeing its ill wishing intentions. He smiles wickedly, thinking how Sebastian will take her life soon enough. "You are catching on, my lady."  
Madame Red smiled as she felt Grell bury his face in her hair. She felt his soft breath and his smile through the crimson strands. "Surely not a Reaper... _Demon_?"  
"My, my. You figured that out quickly."  
_'How daft. Did it really take her that long to figure that out?'_ He slowly lets her go, his hands trailing across her body.  
Madame Red glanced over her shoulder, a smile on her face. Her eyes were alight with evil intent. "Hmmm, he'd be no challenge for you..."  
Grell chuckles and blushes thinking about the handsome raven man. "The _butler_? Well, let's just say I have had my eye on him."  
Madame Red laughed slightly, tossing another glance at Grell. "Perhaps we should pay them a visit now? After all, I've heard that there has been another killing..."  
Grell's eyebrow rises questioningly. "Another..._killing?_" He asks innocently. He smiles wickedly, his eyes glinting with an evil light.  
Madame Red turned to face him, messing with her coat, her expression serious. "Yes. Another wealthy man, but his butler was killed too... all valuables taken."  
Grell smiles. "Oh? Is that right?"  
Madame Red sighed, remembering Ciel's go-to informant. "They're probably going to visit that Undertaker..."  
Grell shudders at the thought of the silver haired man. "Oh not _that _fool!" He pulls at his clothes uncomfortably.  
Madame Red smiled, finding Grell's reaction amusing. "He is quite the creep... but something tells me that there is a lot about that man we don't know..."  
_'You don't know, maybe'_ He thinks hatefully to himself, hating her under informed mind.  
"Yeah." He says nonchalantly.  
Madame Red sighed, allowing her maddening thoughts to slip away for the time being. "It's probably nothing. He does create an unsettling feeling..." She glanced at Grell, a curious look on her face. "How old are you, exactly?"  
Grell fidgets, a confused expression overtaking his features. "A couple hundred decades. Why?" He looks at her with questioning eyes.  
Madame Red smiled, a mischievous look in her eyes. She was just being her normal curious self. "You could be a legend. Explains why you're so deadly efficient..."  
He smiles. "Oh...I'm young. My darling Will is three times older than me!" He dances happily in place.  
Madame Red smiled, tilting her head. She loved Grell's little quirks. Just like his flamboyant side. "What exactly is he like?"  
"Oh, William?" He squeals happily. "He is the most handsome man and Oh so cruel!" He coos.  
Madame Red laughed slightly, loving how Grell described his supervisor. "Almost want to meet him for myself..."  
He stops dancingly suddenly and shoots his gaze at her. He walks to her and grabs her throat. "You can't!" He says angrily. "I am already breaking almost every reaper law already. I don't want my supervisor knowing about it!"  
Madame Red clutched at his hand, a fearful look in her eyes. She should have been used to this side of Grell, but she still felt terrified every time it surfaced. "I-I wouldn't! I was joking, Grell!" she choked out.  
He gives her neck one last tight squeeze then let's go. "Nothing is funny about messing with my job." He spits through clenched teeth. Anger and annoyance shone in his eyes. A deadly efficient combo for a deadly efficient Reaper.  
Madame Red fell to her knees, gasping for breath. She gently felt her neck, tears still in her eyes. "I-I understand... Grell..."  
He brushes his hair over his shoulder and kneels down to whisper in her ear. "I am much more powerful than you. Don't mess with me." His threatening tone came out as a hiss, making her shiver slightly. He stands up and offers her a hand to stand and smiles.  
She took his hand, weakly getting to her feet. "Like I said, a legend you could be..." she said in a hoarse whisper, her voice shredded from his strong strangling grip.  
He lifts her chin and examines her through squinted eyes. He takes note of the light bruise around her neck and the weakness that she was blatantly displaying. _'I could kill her in one second and be done with this…'  
_She stiffened, feeling as if she should get away from him. The threatening air around him screamed for her to get away and to protect herself. _'Why do I suddenly feel scared…?'_ He often had these out bursts, but she had never felt as if he was going to kill her.  
He pulls her into a comforting hug and strokes her hair, smirking into her blood red strands. She was naïve and would fall for his kind gestures. She would continue to love and trust, no matter what he did.  
She relaxed, smiling. She felt safe once more, believing his comforting gesture. A gesture that she didn't know was fake. "I'm sorry, Grell... It won't happen again..."  
He pulls back to look into her eyes and smiles. It was time to move on to the next thing. "So didn't you want to go find the brat and his hunk of a butler?"  
She smiled, finding his description of the duo amusing. But, in the end, that's what they were. "Yes, shall we get going?"  
He holds out a hand for her to take. "We shall, my lady."  
She took his hand. A mischievous and humorous thought taking hold. "You lead. And I swear if you actually trip over the carpet, I will tear it up."  
Grell giggles, amused by her humorous statement. "It is all an act, my love." He tenderly kisses her on the cheek.  
She smiled, her heart fluttering slightly from his gentle kiss. She loved and adored his sweet and gentle side. "Isn't all of life an act in reality?"  
He smirks and glances at her curiously. A slightly thoughtful expression overtaking his charming features. _'Maybe she is different than I once thought.'_  
She smiles, glancing at him out of the corner of her eyes. "When you are born, it is like the opening of curtains. When you die, it is like the closing of the curtains. What lies between those times is the act."  
He smirks and leads her out of the room, repeating her statement in his head as he thought about her intelligence. "You are quite smart." He says.  
_'For a human'_

_Author's Note from Venus: I hope you enjoyed the first instalment of _A Family's Strength_. We have PLENTY left. hehe :3 Please follow and review! _

_Author's Note from zgirl16: Hey, hope you guys like the story... Venus and I make a wonderful pair, don't you think? And to think it's from an RP! Hope guys like it and see you soon!_


End file.
